Cookbook Program 11-15-21

Butterfinger Bundt Cake (from: https://tasty.co/recipe/butterfinger-bundt-cake)

Ingredients

Cake

nonstick cooking spray, for greasing
15 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ice cube
2 ½ cups cake flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
¾ cup full fat greek yogurt
½ cup Butterfinger Bits or crushed Butterfinger bars

Glaze

1 tablespoon reserved browned butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 tablespoon whole milk

For Garnish

¼ cup Butterfinger Bits or crushed Butterfinger bars

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 10- to 15-cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the milk solids begin to turn golden brown. Remove the pot from the heat and continue stirring until the butter has cooled slightly. Transfer to a large bowl, reserving 1 tablespoon of the browned butter in a separate small bowl for the glaze.
Add the ice cube to the larger bowl of browned butter. Set in the ice bath (making sure no water gets into the butter) and whisk for about 5 minutes, until cooled, milky in color, and thickened, but not completely solid.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add sugar to the bowl with the browned butter and beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is creamy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated before adding the next. Add the vanilla bean paste and Greek yogurt, and beat until just combined.
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.
Fold in the Butterfinger Bits or crushed Butterfinger bars with a rubber spatula until incorporated.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
Bake the cake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
While the cake cools, make the glaze: If needed, melt the reserved tablespoon of brown butter. Transfer to a medium bowl with the powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and milk, and whisk until smooth.
Turn the cake out of the pan. Let cool for another 10–15 minutes, or until no longer warm to the touch.
Drizzle the glaze over the cake. Garnish with the Butterfinger Bits or crushed Butterfinger bars.

Homemade marinara sauce

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes with juice
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or regular salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh basil finely chopped

Place olive oil in pan, heat. Then add onions and garlic.
Stir in tomatoes and rest of ingredients.
Bring to light boil, then reduce heat.
Simmer partially covered for 15 minutes.

Baklava (from https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/baklava/)
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. Bake: 40 min. YIELD: 4 dozen.
Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 pound butter, melted, divided
2 packages (16 ounces each, 14×9-inch sheet size) frozen phyllo dough, thawed
SYRUP:
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 cup honey
1 tablespoon grated lemon or orange zest

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and cloves; set aside. Brush a 15x10x1-in. baking pan with some of the butter. Unroll 1 package phyllo dough; cut stack into a 10-1/2×9-in. rectangle. Repeat with remaining phyllo. Discard scraps.
2. Line bottom of prepared pan with 2 sheets of phyllo dough (sheets will overlap slightly). Brush with butter. Repeat layers 14 times. (Keep dough covered with a damp towel until ready to use to prevent it from drying out.)
3. Spread with 2 cups walnut mixture. Top with 5 layers of phyllo dough, brushing with butter between each sheet. Spread with remaining walnut mixture. Top with 1 layer of phyllo dough; brush with butter. Repeat 14 times. Cut into 2-1/2-in. squares; cut each square in half diagonally. Brush remaining butter over top. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.
4. In a large saucepan, bring syrup ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and discard zest; cool to lukewarm. Pour syrup over warm baklava.